Pivoted spring clamp



April 24, 1962 saw 0 3,030,970

PIVOTED SPRING CLAMP 'Filed June 5. 1959 GOLD,

Ma /1V A INVENTOR.

United States Patent 3,030,970 PIVOTED SPRING CLAMP John L. Gold,Price-Rivera, Calif., assignor, by mesne assignments, to ReinerIndustries, Inc., a corporation of California Filed June 3, 1959, Ser.No. 817,902 3 Claims. (Cl. 132-48) This invention relates to clamps, andmore particularly to two-piece clamps which are spring biased to anormally closed position. Such constructions are of general utility andhave widely varied possible uses, but they are herein described, asexemplary of the present invention, in conjunction with their utility aspin curl clips wherein they are employed for clamping a lock of hair tomaintain it in a form known as a pin curl.

In recent years there has been evolved a type of twopiece clampconstruction wherein the spring means is integral with one of the piecesand wherein the arrangement is such that the spring is eflfective totend to hold the pieces together at the pivot area as well as to springbias the clamping jaw portions thereof towards a closed position.Because of this dual function of the spring, and particularly because ofthe tendency of the spring to hold the parts together much simpler hingeand pivot arrangements resulted so that significant economies have beenrealized in the fabrication and assembly of such clamps. Moreover, thetendency of the spring to hold the pieces together, in contradistinctionto the prior art spring tendency to push the pieces apart at the pivotarea, resulted in improved operating characteristics and in longer lifeof the clamps. For these reasons, two-piece clamps of the type underdiscussion have become the most popular type, and this is especiallytrue insofar as their usage as pin curl clips is concerned.

It is characteristic of most of the two-piece clamp constructions of thetype discussed in the preceding paragraph that the spring element is atongue member stuck up from one of the two clamp pieces, having its rooton one side of the pivot area and extending across the pivot area intoengagement with the outer side of the other clamp piece to hold thepieces together and to bias the clamping portions of the two clamppieces towards closed position. One particular type is characterized inthat the spring tongue element has its root in thehandle of one of thetwo clamp pieces and extends through an opening in the handle of theother clamp piece, across the pivot area and into engagement with theouter surface of the said other clamp piece. In this last mentioned typeit has been found to be advantageous and necessary to provide auxiliarymeans to hold the pieces in assembly since the tendency of the springtongue to perform this function is generally not strong enough toprevent the clamp pieces from separating from one another and becomingdisassembled. This auxiliary means has taken the form of the provisionof mechanical holding means in the hinge portion of the clamp, asillustrated for example, in US. Patent No. 2,687,737 issued to J.Schildt on August 31, 1954.

The provision of mechanical holding means in the hinge elements asdiscussed hereinabove is subject to several disadvantages. Thus, sucharrangements may involve a mechanical bending of parts at assembly,which is expensive and which essentially precludes heat treatment of thepieces either prior to or after assembly. Alternatively, complex,expensive and difficult metal punching operations to form spring ears ofparticularly diflicult configurations and critical tolerances may berequired, as is the case in the structure disclosed. in theaforementioned Schildt patent.

The pressent invention relates to improvements in clamps of the type,underdiscussion wherein the possibil- 3,030,970 Patented Apr. 24, 1962ity of the two clamp pieces becoming disengaged from one another isobviated by means not involving holding means in the hinge or pivotelements. This novel result is accomplished by very slight and simplyeffected va1iation in the spring tongue of one of the clamp pieces andof the handle portion of the other clamp piece so that the pieces may beeasily assembled after heat treatment (if the material used requiressuch treatment) and so that only very simple and inexpensive diemodification is required in the manufacturing process.

The present invention is adaptable to constructions which have so-calledopen-faced pivot arrangements, i.e. arrangements wherein the pivot areapositioning means do not mechanically hold the pieces together and thepieces are in fact held together entirely by the spring tongue. Suchopen face constructions were attempted and found impractical for thespecific spring tongue arrangement here under discussion and thedifficulty was solved, prior to the present invention, by providingholding means in the hinge itself, as in the aforementioned Schildtpatent.

It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide improvedtwo-piece clamp constructions having means to prevent separation of theclamp pieces from one another.

Another object of the present invention is to provide improved andsimplified two-piece clamp constructions of the type having an integralspring tongue on one of the members for biasing the clamping portionstowards closed position and for tending to hold the two clamp pieces inassembly.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide novel andimproved clamp constructions of the class described having open-facedpivot arrangements and having cooperating means on the spring ofone-piece and on the handle of the other to inhibit separation of thepieces from one another.

Yet another object is to provide two-piece clamp constructions of thetype wherein a spring tongue has its root in the handle of one of theclamp pieces and extends through an opening in the handle of the otherclamp piece across a pivot area into contact with the said other clamppiece and wherein disengagement of the pieces from one another isinhibited not only by the spring pressure of said spring tongue but alsoby auxiliary means which do not involve holding means in the hinge orpivot elements. These and other objects and the attendant advantages ofthis invention will be apparent from the following detailed descriptionand claims, taken in conjunction with the attached drawing, wherein likeparts are indicated by like reference numerals throughout, and whereinFIGURE 1 is a perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of the presentinvention, as applied to a clamp of the pin-curl clip type;

FIGURE 2 is a central sectional view of the clamp shown in FIGURE 1, inits closed position;

FIGURE 3 is a view similar to FIGURE 2 showing the clamp in its openposition;

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary perspective view of the handle and pivotportion of the clamp of FIGURE 1 with parts broken away for clarity ofillustration; and

FIGURE 5 is a view similar to FIGURE 2, illustrating a condition whichmay exist when a tress of hair is held between the clamping portions ofthe clamp.

Referring now to the drawings, FIGURE 1 illustrates an exemplaryembodiment of the present invention as applied to a clamp in the form ofa pin-curl clip. The clamp is comprised of two plate-form sheet metalclamp pieces designated generally as a top piece A and a bottom piece B,it being understood, of course, that such designation is for purposes ofidentification only, since the orientation of the device is purelyarbitrary.

The clamp pieces are generally in the form of elongated plates and eachpiece is formed to provide a handle portion and a clamping portion.Thus, top clamp piece A comprises a handle portion and a clampingportion 12 which are integral with one another and angularly related toone another as shown. Similarly, the bottom clamp piece B comprises ahandle portion 14 and a clamping portion 16. I11 the particularillustrated example, handle and clamping portions 14 and 16 are roughlyparallel and separated from one another by an angularly situatedintermediate portion 18 although this arrangement is not essential butmerely by way of example. It is merely necessary that the handleportions of the two pieces be somehow angularly related to one anotherso that moving them toward each other will tend to open the clampingportions.

Top clamp piece A is provided with laterally aligned holesor sockets 20in the area of the bend which defines the juncture between the handleportion 10 and the clamping portion 12, for a purpose to be laterdescribed, and the handle 10 thereof is provided with an opening orwindow 22. The opening 22 does not extend entirely to the said area ofbend so that a ledge 24 is formed in the handle, as best seen in FIGURE4.

Bottom clamp piece B has a pair of spur elements 26 and an integralspring tongue 28 struck up therefrom. The spurs 26 are in the generalarea of the area of juncture of the handle portion 14 and theintermediate portion 18 and are appropriately laterally spaced to beengageable in the sockets 20 in the top clamp piece A to define thepivot area of the clamp and to provide the pivot means of the clamp, andto prevent longitudinal and lateral displacement of the two clamp piecesrelative to one another. Spring tongue 28 has its root in handle portion14 and extends forwardly beyond the aforementioned pivot area, as shown.

The spring tongue 28 has a downwardly extending projection 30 struckfrom'it material substantially on its longitudinal center line andslightly forwardly of the plane of the pivot spurs 26. The saidprojection 30 cooperates with ledge 24 on the handle of the top clamppiece A to' inhibit separation of the two clamp parts from one another,in a manner to be more fully explained hereinafter. Preferably,projection 30 is formed to provide a rearwardly extending point as shownin the drawing.

Assembly of the two clamp pieces A and B is effected by aligning the twopieces longitudinally with the forward end of the spring tongue 28 ofthe bottom piece B aligned with the opening 22 in the handle portion ofthe top piece A. The top piece A is then moved rearwardly relative tothe bottom piece B, with the free end of the spring entering into saidopening 22. The bottom surface of the area of juncture of the handleportion 10 and the clamping portion 12 of top clamp piece A containingthe sockets 20 is thus caused to move up the inclined surface of theportion 18 which gradually prestresses the spring 28. This movement iscontinued, as the spring tongue moves through the window or opening 22,until the spurs 26 and sockets 20 are aligned, at which time the springpressure of spring tongue 28 pushes the top piece A into the assembledposition shown in the drawing, in which spurs 26 extend through sockets20 to define a pivot area and to prevent longitudinal or lateraldisplacement of the clamp pieces relative to one another. During themovement of the parts into the assembled position the protuberance 30moves forwardly of the ledge 24.

Operation of the assembled clamp is typical of such devices and is bestunderstood by a comparison of FIG- URES 2 and 3 of the drawings. Withthe parts in the normal position of FIGURE 2, pressure applied to handleportions 10 and 14 in directions tending to bring them closer togethercauses opening of the clamping portions to be effected by the rocking ofthe clamp pieces upon one another in the pivot area defined by spurs andsockets 26 and 20. During such opening movement the spring tongue 28 isflexed to the position shown in FIG- URE 3. The free end of springtongue 28 is free to slide on the top surface of the clamping portion 12of the top clamp piece A. For the purpose of reducing friction attendantto such movement, as Well as for the purpose of assisting entry into theopening 22, the said tongue may be provided with a rounded end portion,as at 32. Release of the handle portions 10 and 14 allows the pressureof the flexed spring tongue 28 to force the clamping portions 12 and 16to their closed positions (FIGURES 1 and 2) and to maintain them in thisposition, under pressure.

The above described device, while of general utility, is particularlyadapted for use in the hair dressing art, as a pin curl clip. In suchusage, it is common to wet the hair and to wind strands thereof intocurls. A pin curl clip, as described, is then used to clamp each of suchcurls, the clamping portions being opened by pressure on the handleportions and placed on opposite sides of the curl. Release of the handleportions allows the clamping portions to grip the curl under pressure.The curl is thus gripped until dry, at which time the clip is removedtherefrom.

It should be noted that the opening movement of the clamp requirespressures on handle portions 10 and 14 in a direction tending to holdthe clamp pieces A and B against one another so that no' problem ofseparation of the clamp pieces at the bend area exists in thiscircumstance. However, with no such pressures involved, but for thepresent invention, the two clamp pieces could become disassembled fromone another if the top piece were lifted to an extent to allow the spurs26 to become disengaged from the sockets 20. This condition is shown inFIGURE 5, wherein a thick tress of hair H is shown clamped betweenclamping portions 12 and 16.

It is an important feature of the present invention that structure notinvolving overhanging hinge means are used to inhibit separation of theclamp pieces even if the spurs and sockets should become disengagedmomentarily. The protuberance 30 in spring tongue 28 and the ledge 24 onthe handle portion 10 cooperate to perform this function, in a mannerwhich will now be described, and whichis best illustrated in FIGURE 5.As previously explained, normal opening pressures on the handle portionsmitigates against separation of the parts and in this condition theprotuberance 30 and the ledge 24 are not in proximity to one another, asmay be seen by inspec tion of FIGURE 3. In the closed position of theclamp (as in FIGURES 1, 2, 4 and 5), if the pieces are separated at thepivot area, as by an effort to pull them apart,- or as a result offorces due to the material held between the clamping portions 10 and 12,it is apparent that the upper clamp piece A may be raised a sufiicientamount so that the sockets 20 therein might clear the spurs 26 of thelower clamp piece B (as shown in FIGURE 5). In this condition, in orderfor the two clamp pieces to become disassembled, it would be necessaryfor the top clamp piece to move to the left relative to the bottom clamppiece since'withdrawal of spring tongue 28 from the opening 22 isnecessary for complete disassembly of the pieces. Studyof the drawing,in FIGURES 2 and 4, and particularly in FIGURE 5, will indicate that anyattempt to move the clamp pieces relative to one another in a directiontending to withdraw the spring 28 from the opening 22, causes theprotuberance 30 to abut against the ledge 24 to prevent movement in sucha direction. Actually, such movement cannot even be attempted unless thetop clamp piece A is lifted relative to bottom clamp piece Bsufficiently for the spurs 26 to clear the sockets 20. Such liftingresults in bending or flexing of the spring tongue 28 so that thedownward force on the top surface of clamping portion 12 is greater, andso that the bow in spring tongue 28 is flattened. When spring tongue 28is so flattened the position of ledge 24 is higher relative to theprotuberance 30 to make it very difiicult to withdraw the spring tonguethrough the opening 22. In actual practice such withdrawal practicallyrequires destruction of the parts.

Thus, if the top clamp piece should be lifted relative to the bottomclamp piece sufficiently for sockets 20 to clear the spurs 26, theprotuberance 3t} and the ledge 24 cooperate in the above describedmanner to hold the pieces against longitudinal shifting in a directionwhich could cause disassembly. When the lifting forces are removed thespring tongue 28, exerting its normal downward pressure, forces the topclamp piece downwardly to again properly seat the spurs and sockets.

From the above it may be seen that the present invention has providednovel and improved two-piece clamp constructions of the type wherein aspring tongue having its root in the handle portion of one of the twopieces, extends through an opening in the handle portion of the otherpiece, across the pivot area, and into contact with said other piece, totend to hold the two clarnp pieces in assembled relation and to bias theclamping portions thereof toward closed or clamping position; theimprovement comprising novel auxiliary means of great simplicity andeifectiveness for preventing separation and disassembly of the pieces.

Obviously, many modifications and variations of the present inventionare possible without departure from the spirit of the invention. It istobe understood that the invention is not intended to be limited by theparticular illustrative example shown and described herein, but ratherby the scope and language of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A clamp comprising two superposed elongated plates extendinglongitudinally with each other, having integral handle portions andclamping jaw portions, said plates having correlated pivot meansintegral respectively with said plates, said pivot means engaging eachother and enabling said plates to rock upon each other upon a transverse axis toward an open position, one of said plates having anintegral spring tongue struck from its material, said spring tonguebeing attached at its root to the handle of said one of said plates andhaving a free end extending across said axis toward the clamping jawportions, the handle portion of the other of said plates having anopening therein of a width to allow passage of said spring tongue and ofa length extending short of said axis to provide a ledge adjacent saidaxis defining the bottom of the opening, said spring tongue passingthrough said opening, the free end of said spring tongue engaging thesaid other one of said plates to urge the clamping jaw portions towardstheir closed position, said spring tongue having a downwardly extendingprotuberance struck from its material within its marginal edges and inan area slightly forward of said axis, said protuberance being of suchlength that the lowermost extremity thereof is below the uppermost edgeof said ledge in the closed position of the clamp, whereby disassemblyof the clamp by relative longitudinal sliding movement of the platesrelative to one another would be inhibited by abut ment of saidprotuberance with said ledge in the event that said pivot means shouldbecome disengaged in the closed position of the clamp.

2. A two-piece pivoted clamp construction comprising a pair of elongatedplates having cooperating pivot means defining a lateral axis aboutwhich the said plates have pivoted opening and closing movement relativeto one another, superposed angularly related handle portions on one sideof said axis and superposed clamping portions on the other side of saidaxis, the handle portion of one of said plates having an opening thereinand the other of said plates having an integral spring tongue having itsroot in the handle portion thereof and a free end extending through thesaid opening, across said axis into engagement with the clamping portionof said one of said plates to urge the clamping portions towards theirclosed position, a downwardly extending protuberance struck from thematerial of the said spring tongue within the marginal edges of saidspring tongue and slightly to the clamping portion side of the pivotmeans thereof, and a ledge adjacent the axis defining the lowermostboundary of the said opening in the handle portion of said one of saidplates, said protuberance being of such length that the lowermostextremity thereof is below the uppermost edge of said ledge in theclosed position of the clamp, whereby when the plates are in theirassembled and closed position disassembly of the plates by sliding saidspring tongue out of said opening is prevented by contact of saidprotuberance with said ledge if said cooperating pivot means shouldbecome disengaged.

3. A clamp according to claim 2, wherein said pivot means comprisesockets on one of said plates and spurs on the other of said plates,said spurs being engaged in said sockets to normally inhibit slidingmovement of the plates relative to one another, said protuberance andsaid ledge being operative to prevent longitudinal movement of theplates relative to one another in the event said spurs become removedfrom said sockets.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,797,693 Bugge July 2, 1957 2,838,055 Kertesz June 10, 1958 2,898,922Lyman Aug. 11, 1959 FOREIGN PATENTS 511,888 Canada Apr. 12, 1955

